Danielle and Laura Kosann's Coconut Curry
It's no secret that I love curry, so when I came across Danielle and Laura Kosann's Coconut Curry with Chicken and Vegetables recipe in Kerry Diamond's fabulous new Cherry Bombe cookbook, celebrating women and food, it was the first dish I decided to try. I didn't have chicken in the house, so I substituted a full tray of spicy, roasted cauliflower in its place. While I'll definitely try it with chicken in the future, it made for a fabulous vegetable curry.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 tablespoons coconut oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces (If substituting cauliflower, see details below)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 red bell peppers, sliced
1 cup thinly sliced cremini mushrooms
2 stalks fresh lemongrass, peeled and finely chopped
1 large or 2 small heads bokchoy, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon green curry paste
2 cups coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño, seeded and membranes removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges, for serving
Ingredients for Roasted Cauliflower
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Preparation
If using cauliflower in place of chicken, preheat oven to 425°F. (I always preheat my pan for a few minutes, as well.) Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Roast until golden and tender, about 20 minutes, turning once. Remove from oven and set aside.
If using chicken in the recipe, heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is lightly browned, then remove from the saucepan and set aside.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoon s coconut oil over medium heat Add the garlic, ginger, and onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until onion has softened.
Add the bell peppers, mushrooms, lemongrass and bok choy and cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken (or cauliflower, if using) and curry paste, stir, and cook for 2 minutes more.
Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, and jalapeño, then season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced slightly. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.
To serve, ladle the curry over jasmine rice, sprinkle with the cilantro, and garnish with lime wedges.
